When Should You See a Doctor About Lower Back Pain?

Pain may arise from muscles, joints, discs, or the tissues around the spine. Muscle strain can present after lifting or an awkward movement. A herniated disc may present with back pain and symptoms travelling into a leg. Lumbar spondylosis and spinal stenosis can present with stiffness or leg symptoms that change with standing and walking. Sacroiliac joint dysfunction can cause pain near one side of the lower back or buttock.

Keep gently moving within tolerable limits and change position regularly rather than staying in bed for long periods. Avoid heavy lifting and twisting until movement is easier. Track the onset, location, triggers, night symptoms, leg sensations, fever, injury, and effect on sleep or walking. A clinician can use this history with an examination to decide whether tests or physiotherapy are appropriate.

Seek urgent medical care for new or progressive weakness in a leg, numbness around the inner thighs or genitals, or loss of bladder or bowel control. Get prompt assessment for severe pain after a significant injury, fever with marked back pain, unexplained weight loss, or pain that is rapidly worsening and prevents basic movement.

Could the pain be coming from a disc, joint, muscle, or nerve? What movements are safe right now? Do my examination findings suggest imaging, physiotherapy, or a review if the symptoms change?